


Punch. Shots. Regret.

by big_slug



Series: Montauk: Beyond Hawkins [6]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Costumes, Halloween, Hangover, High School, Light Angst, M/M, Morning After, Party, Underage Drinking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:14:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,702
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27086944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/big_slug/pseuds/big_slug
Summary: The perfect costume. A spectacular Halloween party. But that cursed anniversary is coming up, so Will can't enjoy the night as much as he would like to. The punch is good, though.You should read the first work in the series to fully understand.
Relationships: Joyce Byers & Will Byers, Will Byers/Original Male Character(s)
Series: Montauk: Beyond Hawkins [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1464226
Kudos: 11





	Punch. Shots. Regret.

**Author's Note:**

> Here I am again. I'm always glad to write another installment for this universe. And I'm really looking forward to writing some adult Will later on. But looking for something at least remotely Halloween-themed, I came up with this.  
> I'm also very sorry if I'm not around much, but this COVID thing is still wrecking me like crazy. It's day 12 now, so I'm pretty much out of the woods according to my doctor, but I can only stay awake for maybe two hours at a time before I pass out and sleep six hours. I just got bored, so I wrote this little piece to have some fun before it's naptime again. Stay safe, wash your hands.

**October 1987**

„Come on, you look fantastic! All ready for the big reveal. That way, go on.“

„Yes...“ Will says, somewhat exasperated, and if only because the first week of November is upon him. „I know where my bathroom is.“ He is definitely feeling weird in costume, not actually in the mood for any sort of party, but the last thing he wants is to disappoint Adrian, who has put some serious effort into both their makeup.

And to be honest, Will finds his boyfriend very attractive with this storm-blown gray hair and 19th century attire - no doubt, people will have no clue who he is portraying. And few people are going to recognize Will‘s character either. Adrian nudges him in front of the bathroom mirror. Will is blown away.

„Didn‘t I tell you it‘s awesome?“

„It... it is.“ Will fights the urge to touch his own face. It‘s completely covered in white foundation. Add to that the red lipstick, blue eyeshadow and flaming red hair, and the look is perfect. Just like David Bowie in the _Life on Mars_ music video - except the mullet. They had to make due with Will‘s haircut. The outfit works perfectly as well; A sky blue suit, combined with a striped undershirt and a tie with colorful psychedelic patterns.

Adrian has his hands resting on Will‘s hips. So they stare at each other and themselves in the mirror - what a couple Beethoven and Bowie make. Originally Adrian had contemplated dressing up as Alex from _A Clockwork Orange_ , but when Will had come up with David Bowie, he had decided to pick a musical theme as well. „Should we get going?“ he asks.

Will takes a wary look out the window. „Yeah, I guess so.“ It‘s dark already, and the first trick-or-treaters have come by about half an hour ago. „You know that I‘ll become a sulking mess at some point, right?“

Adrian carefully kisses him on the cheek, without damaging the makeup. „I know. But let‘s have some fun until then. Come on, I think your mom wants to take photos before we go.“

„Yeah, okay.“ But Will can‘t just make himself forget 1983. Or 1984. Halloween. November. It‘s all still so very present and even if he can squeeze some fun out of tonight, it‘s going to hit him like a train a day or two from now. For the next week or so he‘ll spend most of his allowance on coffee.

Still, the fact of the matter is; When you are deemed cool enough to be invited to a high school Halloween party, you don‘t just say _no_. You go to that damn party and socialize as though your life depends on it. Because, in a way, it does.

They meet up with El and Melissa downstairs. „Odd... How many times did you two complain about us taking too long to get ready?“ Melissa taunts as soon as they are in sight. „We‘ve been ready for what, half an hour?“

She is almost unrecognizable in her near-perfect Morticia Addams costume. No one would ever notice she is wearing a black wig, her own hair being way too short and way too blond for the style.

El is in an Ellen Ripley outfit that, consisting of a dark jumpsuit with the appropriate shoulder patches, is going to make it _very_ difficult to use the bathroom tonight. But it does look good on her, even though she never particularly enjoyed _Alien_. Or any horror movie for that matter. In her own words: _„It‘s just the character I like.“_

„Touche.“ Adrian says wryly. „But then again, look at the perfection.“

Will‘s mom is over the moon with the costumes. She lets the two of them pose, making adoring faces behind the camera, occasionally crooning things like „Oh, your brother is going to love this, Will!“

Will forces the smiles and laughs more than he actually feels them. But no need to spoil the fun for everyone else. Besides, he really is in awe of the makeup job Adrian did on him.

They leave the house around eight. The words Will‘s mom leaves them with stick with him as he walks slowly under an eerie Halloween-moon. _„Just know your limits.“_ Will doesn‘t even try to convince her that there won‘t be any alcohol. There will be a lot of it, and he is not sure how to feel about that.

What Will is sure about is that he finds the amount of people in Quentin Prince‘s house unsettling. Too many, too loud, too happy. Trying not to be a killjoy, he makes himself grin at the others. „Think you‘re gonna be okay?“ he asks El, who shrugs for an answer. But Melissa is with her, so Will doesn‘t worry too much.

One thing really bugs him, though, and that is something he won‘t keep from Adrian. „I wish we could dance. Like, together.“

„Yeah, me too.“ Adrian keeps a painful but necessary distance from Will. „Let‘s not forget that we really shouldn‘t. Now where‘s Quentin?“

They find their host in the living room, which now resembles a cave, if anything. There is barely any room to move due to all the decorations (cardboard skeletons, bats, pumpkins, dim orange lights). The enormous punch bowl is clearly the main attraction here, though. Shiny, pink, it immediately draw‘s Will‘s attention.

„How long until your parents get bankrupt over this, man?“ Adrian huffs.

Quentin chuckles mysteriously. „Don‘t tell them what‘s really going on here. With any luck, they‘ll be back on Monday and not notice a thing. Uh, nice costumes, guys. That‘s-“ He points in Adrian‘s direction, snapping his fingers as though trying to remember something. Of course, Quentin has no idea.

„Beethoven.“ Adrian says. „And look at Bowie over there.“

Will flashes a crooked grin. „Too androgynous?“

„N-No, no. Really.“ Quentin shrugs. Does he even know what that word means? Because Will thinks the Bowie-costume is quite androgynous.

Quentin pulls down the hockey mask he‘s been wearing on his head until now. „I guess this isn‘t as creative? I mean, one of you would win the best costume award.“

This makes Will realize that they‘re very much overdressed. He can even see some people with no costume at all, just vaguely Halloween-themed shirts.

„So...“ Quentin says „What are you waiting for?“

Will shrugs. „You‘re right, what _are_ we waiting for?“ He snatches a few bat-shaped crackers from the table, and hesitantly, but with a little bit of excitement, pours himself and Adrian a plastic cup of punch each. Melissa does the same for herself and El.

No one is within hearing distance when Adrian asks lowly „Ever had anything stronger than beer?“

„No... any of you?“

Adrian and El shake their heads, but Melissa shrugs „I guess I might have stuck my tongue in one of Uncle Kurt‘s bottles, but I never took a sip. Whatever. Here goes nothing. Love you guys.“

Because no one wants to be a chicken, they follow Melissa‘s example and sip the punch. More than anything, Will is surprised by it. There is a burning sensation in his throat, and the taste can be described as _weird_ , but it‘s not terrible. Actually, it‘s quite tasty, and he takes a deeper drag from his cup. „It‘s good.“

„Yeah, I think we got orange and...“

„Some apple juice too.“ Quentin, who has just popped up behind them again, explains. „I mostly just took what was in the fridge. I‘ve got enough to fill that bowl three times, so have- aw shit...“ He hurries away again to fulfill the duties of a host - stopping some idiots from wrecking the banister.

„Anyone want to check out the backyard? I think that‘s where the music is coming from.“ Melissa suggests.

After filling their cups up again, they do just that. To Will it seems like every kid in this entire town must be here. Everyone who is too old for trick-or-treat anyways. And that‘s actually not too far fetched. He bumps into people left and right and the generous back porch has been turned into a dance floor that couldn‘t possibly hold any more people.

It‘s all a bit too much for Will to handle, so he stays back and drinks his punch, one little sip after the other. He likes to see Adrian having some fun, but this is not for him. Will focuses on the comfortable warmth that is beginning to spread in his stomach, radiating from there up his body. Maybe that punch really is a godsend.

Will doesn‘t have to actively work towards it - it just happens at some point. The world, formerly bleak and dreary, is suddenly so soft. What time of year is it? Does it matter? Why was Will sulking again? Who cares, anyways? All he knows is that he can never fill that damn cup fast enough.

Until someone cries „Shots!“

And the last thing Will knows is bliss. Everything is just fine. Better than fine; There is no wrong in this world. Everything is perfect.

* * *

Everything is pain. Always has been, always will be. There is a small, fleeting sound that Will can‘t place. Until he realizes it‘s him who made that sound. A gargling sort of groaning noise that carries absolute anguish. Oh god, he‘s going to throw up... he‘s going to throw up... he‘s going to-

The bile that has made its way up Will‘s esophagus settles back into his revolting stomach when he opens his eyes. He is in his own bedroom. _How did he even get here? What day is it? Why is it so dark in here?_

„Honey?“

His mom‘s voice is like a lifeline to him, and he grabs it, trying to pull himself back into reality. _Okay... What does Will know?_ He knows that it‘s dark. The curtains must be closed. He knows that he was at some kind of social gathering. Not Christmas... or Easter... no, it was Halloween. That‘s right, he was at Quentin‘s Halloween party. With Adrian. And Melissa and El.

A stranger‘s voice comes out of Will‘s dry throat. „Come in...“ The volume of it is enough to hammer like wardrums in his head.

Light falls in from the hall, and Will has to shield his eyes from it. But it‘s no use, because now his mom is in the room, and a few seconds later the curtains are pulled open, letting in the cruel, cruel sun.

„Oh god, no!“ There is a blinding lightning bolt of pain that shoots through Will‘s entire body. And worse, for a horrifying second he believes he is naked. But no, he is wearing underwear, and his sheets cover the rest. „Mom...“

She might be smiling. She might be scowling. Everything is a blur. „I know, honey. I know.“ mom says with some compassion. „I brought you some water.“

Greedy like a man lost in the desert Will chugs the entire glass in one drag, only to fall back on his pillow immediately. The effect is minimal. „Make it stop!“ he whines, without even caring about the lecture he is in for.

„Oh, honey...“ With her fingers crawling the nape of his neck, she sits down on Will‘s bedside. „I wouldn‘t if I could. You know what they say. If you can‘t do the time, don‘t do the crime.“

„Then just... roll me up in the sheets and throw me into a river or something. It‘s never gonna get better!“ That very moment, Will is sincere. This is his life from now on. Constantly on the brink of throwing up, constantly in agonizing pain - for the rest of his days.

„I know it feels like that, sweetie. But you‘re going to remember this, aren‘t you? Now, if you want to stay in bed all day, that‘s fine. But bacon and eggs are in the kitchen.“

„Wait, uh...“ Will tries to prop himself on his elbows, but ultimately fails. „How did I get home?“

„Yikes...“ mom grimaces. „I was asleep, but your sister says Adrian and Melissa helped. Don‘t worry, I called. They made it home.“

„Good... good... I think I‘m just gonna...“ One more time Will falls back - this time hitting his head _hard_ on the headboard of his bed. Flashes of pain and memories. _Punch... shots... some more punch... some more shots... that wonderful bliss that comes after the burning..._

„Mom!“

„Honey?“

„Aren‘t you, like, mad?“

„Oh...“ Sighing, she comes back into the room and sits down again. „It looks like you made some very stupid decisions last night. But you‘ll be a lot wiser once this is over.“

Will rolls over to his side - no position can bring him relief. He is hot and cold at the same time. He is sick but also hungry and thirsty. „It‘s just that... it helped with the mood and the... the memories. And if there‘s any part of dad in me-“

Mom thinks about this. „Let me tell you something about your dad. For starters, he never got a hangover. He just wasn‘t prone to it, and maybe that‘s why he liked to push his limits all the time. I can have two glasses of wine and wake up with a headache, so I suppose you have my genes to blame. But you know what else, sweetie? Your father would never second-guess himself. He was infallible. Are you infallible, honey?“

„N-No. I messed up so bad, mom.“

„You did what anyone your age would‘ve done. Love you.“ Will gets a kiss on the cheek. „Just be smarter next time. Especially around this time of year. Bacon and eggs in the kitchen, honey.“

But Will can‘t get up right now. He just can‘t. Not even to close those cursed blinds again, so Will pulls the sheets over his head.

* * *

There is a hand moving up and down his chest. He might be able to tell who it is, if it wasn‘t for the bedsheet. But who would touch Will like that anyways? „Morning...“

„It‘s noon.“ Adrian yawns. „Your mom said I should try and get you downstairs. Let‘s see...“ Without warning he pulls the sheet down, exposing Will once again to sunlight and headache. „Morning.“

„Don‘t...“ Will complains when Adrian kisses him. „Got morning breath.“

„Not so bad. How much do you remember?“

„Not much.“

Adrian comes around the bed and lies down, slightly shielding Will from sun that way. „I‘m not feeling so well.“ he says. „But you look half-dead.“

„What happened? I... didn‘t make an ass of myself, did I?“ Will asks anxiously.

„I mean, you only threw up on the way home, if that helps.“

„Oh god...“

„So obviously I had to get you in the shower. Which... took a while. And some effort.“

Will shoots up way faster than he should, now touching his own face. Upon checking his fingers he finds that the makeup is gone. „Oh god! Did anyone see? Like, El? Melissa?“

Adrian seems to find this exceedingly funny the way he laughs. „Just me. And I swear I barely remember how embarrassing that whole scene was. I mean, I was this close to ending up just like you. Two more shots would‘ve ended me. Melissa was the one who kept a level head.“

„I love you, you know that?“ For the first time in what seems like ages, Will is feeling comfortable, pressed tightly against his boyfriend. „I‘m gonna be an insufferable sulking mess this week. Last night I was running on borrowed time.“

„Hm, love you too much to mind. I‘m gonna be the same in May. Think you‘re gonna need alone time this year?“

„I guess so. But you know where to find me when something important comes up, right?“

„Yeah.“ Adrian grins. „I also know where to find you some clothes to put on so you can go downstairs and have something to eat.“

„Ugh!“ Tearing up, Will rolls on his back and lets one arm fall off the side of the bed. „I knew we‘d come back to that.“

Adrian throws the covers off, making Will curl up in a ball. „As much as I love your body, your mom wouldn‘t appreciate you showing up at the kitchen table like that. Come, I‘ll help you.“

**Author's Note:**

> Pretty sure there were tons of typos, huh? I'll come back and fix some of them later.


End file.
